Filed under Basement Flood Protection · By Michael and the team at The Irish Plumber
Why the melt is so hard on basements
When a winter's snow melts fast, especially with rain on top, the ground around your foundation fills up. Weeping tile carries that water to the sump pit, and the pump runs again and again. That's when tired pumps fail. A spring storm can also cut the power, and then nothing pumps at all.
How a battery backup sump pump works
A second pump sits in the same pit, slightly higher than the main one. It runs from a deep-cycle battery kept charged by a charger plugged into the wall. If the water rises past the main pump, whether because the main pump has failed, can't keep up, or has lost power, the backup switches on.
About the batteries
- Use a deep-cycle battery designed for repeated draining, not a car battery.
- Bigger batteries run longer, but no battery runs for days. How long it lasts depends on how much water comes in.
- Most batteries need replacing every 3 to 5 years. Many systems have a test button and an alarm for a weak battery.
- Add a high-water alarm, or a model with a phone alert, so you know when the backup is running.
What installation involves
We check your pit, your main pump and the discharge line, then install the backup pump with its own check valve and discharge connection, mount the battery and charger safely off the floor, and test the whole system. Most installs take a few hours.
Ready for the spring melt?
Book a sump check and a battery backup installed before the snow goes.
The City rebate
For eligible homes built before 2004, the City rebates up to $1,500 for a sump pump with battery backup in an existing pit. The permit must come first. How it works.